Raiders Blog and Q&A

ALAMEDA - There are plenty reasons fans do not feel sorry for the media being snubbed by athletes.

Someone that gets paid to watch football doesn't earn much sympathy from someone with a "real" job.

But when JaMarcus Russell missed a television production meeting Wednesday, he didn't miss any old meeting.

He missed a meeting with the NFL Network. And commentators criticized Russell for do so.

Raiders interim head coach Tom Cable said Russell deciding to show up for the meeting after the television crew had left was a concern.

"One thing that's important, and we all have to do, it's the coaches responsibility, you have to teach these guys their responsibility to the media," Cable said. "Their responsibilities to the community, to the public. A lot of times when they come in they don't know those things. And that's not trying to protect him or sugar coat it. That's just a fact."

Russell isn't a fan of extended interview sessions and isn't the easiest player to track down for the required weekly media session required of every starting quarterback.

Team officials have said they couldn't "make" Russell talk when he's been evasive with local media.

But it sounds as if being called out on national television might force Russell to be more cooperative now that the NFL has been dissed.

"If you get perceived as a guy that blows things off or you don't respect the wishes of the media that way, they'll treat you that way," Cable said.

Cable said he spoke with Russell Friday morning.

"He feels bad about it," Cable said. "And I don't think we'll have anymore concerns that way. It's just teaching him what that responsibility is and the position he plays, I think there's even more of that."

*Cable also addressed Nnamdi Asomugha's comments after Thursday's game when he wondered if players took the Raiders' plight seriously because so many of them seem to be having fun after every loss.

Cable had no problem with Asomugha.

Cable said he's always concerned about that.

"I think anytime you get beat, I don't know if there is anything to laugh about," Cable said. "I don't think there's anything that makes you feel good when you get beat. If it hurts when you lose then you feel right about the game."

From the way the locker room often sounds in more than three years covering this team, there are still too many players that feel wrong about the game on the Raiders.

It's not that players should be at their lockers crying after each loss, but the mood isn't nearly as down as one would expect for a team that loses 75 percent of its games.

*Russell was scheduled to have an MRI on his right ankle. He sprained it in the second quarter and did not return to the game. Russell's right ankle has bothered him off and on this season.

*Right tackle Cornell Green (knee strain) does not appear to have a serious injury after leaving the game with the injury. He'll test his knee out next week in practice. Safety Hiram Eugene (hamstring) was sore after the game but it's not believed to be a serious injury.

*Wide receiver Ashley Lelie (concussion) and center Jake Grove (calf) are expected back for next Sunday's game against New England. Linebacker Ricky Brown (groin) will probably miss the New England game.

*The players have the weekend off and return to work on Monday.

--Jason Jones